Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica will serve as Acting Prime Minister this week as Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka attends the 10th Summit of the Pacific Island Leaders Meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo, Japan.
Rabuka, who also led the Fiji Government delegation to the first PALM Summit in 1997, expressed his excitement about joining leaders from the 18 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). He emphasized the forum’s mission to foster a resilient Pacific region marked by peace, harmony, security, social inclusion, and prosperity.
The PALM10 Summit aims to strengthen the partnership between Japan and Pacific countries, promoting free, healthy, and productive lives for all Pacific people. Key discussions will revolve around aligning the implementation of the PIF Leaders’ 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy, focusing on climate action, environmental matters, people-centered economic development, technology, and connectivity.
During his visit, Rabuka will engage in several official activities, including a bilateral meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. This meeting is anticipated to bolster Fiji-Japan diplomatic relations, which have expanded over the years into significant areas such as climate change, disaster risk management, health, and socio-economic development.
The leaders will also discuss the contributions of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan International Cooperation System (JICS), which have supported various development programs in Fiji.
Rabuka is accompanied by Permanent Secretary for the Office of the Prime Minister Pita Wise, Permanent Secretary for Rural and Maritime Development Isoa Talemaibua, and Chief Executive for Investment Fiji Kamal Chetty.
The PALM10 Summit begins today and will conclude on Thursday.